America's Fascinating Indian Heritage: The First Americans: Their Customs, Art, History and How They Lived (Hardcover)

~ Reader's Digest (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-- An easy-to-read book that is packed with information covering customs, history, and art of every major tribe in North America. Laid out regionally and chronologically, it is an ideal reference. The maps, drawings, and diagrams bring the well-written text to life. Short sections highlight specific aspects of a culture such as basketry of California tribes or building a dugout canoe. The fine illustrations that accompany them will spark interest in learning more about the cultures. Of special note is the section dealing with current Native American issues. Finally, there is a helpful listing of museums, archeological sites, and special ceremonies. A fine addition to high school libraries that will help students in history, art, and humanities.
- Sandi Hammonds, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Brings the whole story into focus-as it really happened. Meet these men and women, the memory of whom still haunts America-and get acquainted with an integral part of our heritage-in this honest and informative celebration of the American Indian.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Reader's Digest (November 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895773724
• ISBN-13: 978-0895773722
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #791,311 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Introductory Textbook About Native Americans, August 15, 2003

By	G. Bondar (Greensburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews

America's Fascinating Indian Heritage, by Reader's Digest, provides an informative, readable, and engaging introduction to Native American societies of the American continent north of Mexico. Although intended for a popular audience, the detailed contributions of the expert editorial staff have produced a volume that is both educational and entertaining. Structured using a "Culture Area" model, the book is divided into chapters that describe the lifeways of similar societies living in similar environments.

What makes this book distinctive from other, more authoritive, texts is its rich supply of full color maps and illustrations, many of which document rarely seen events and artifacts. Others clearly illustrate such complex processes as a seasonal round in the Great Basin, the construction of a canoe in the Subarctic, and the assembly of a tipi in the Plains. In addition, the text of each chapter contains various _fictional_ first-person narritives describing details of daily life in these societies. While the usefulness, accuracy, and appropriateness of these "accounts" are questioned by some, in most cases, I've found that they help readers and students to imagine, sympathize, understand, and relate with these traditional lifeways. As such, they add more than they detract from the educational value of this text. However, there are some obvious factual errors which most be guarded against, whose presence may be evidence of the potentially dated nature of this volume, originally from 1978. Similarly, any new developments and discoveries of the last twenty-five years are not represented. Further, from the perspective of this Archaeologist, discussion of the prehistoric and developmental aspects of these societies is incomplete.

Yet, despite these failings, the interest and enthusiasm this book instills about Native American cultures and how they lived, and its rich factual content, ensures that America's Fascinating Indian Heritage will remain a widely-used introductory text for this subject.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect introduction to the Amerindians, June 22, 2007

By	K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

Could not ask for a better intro to the subject, had been wanting one for quite a while. God blessed that desire and I got this book for free days later. Really helps to understand the distinct and rich cultures of the various tribal groupings and their interactions with European-American civilizations, and is backed by lots of photographs, maps, and illustrations.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly informative, May 18, 2006

By	Michael N. Ryan (Bel AIr, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Highly informative. Well organized. Easy to read. Illustrated superbly.

Provides the reader a basic source of information on the subject.